Page 41 of Children of Virtue and Vengeance

“What do you suggest?” Na’imah leans forward. “How do we strike back?”

“That food is all they have,” Zélie says. “Burn it and let them starve.”

“No!” I fight my way through, pushing until I can place my hands on their table. “Burn that food and you won’t just endanger the people of Lagos. You’ll escalate the war the king’s trying to end!”

The entire cafeteria quiets down in the wake of my outburst. Ramaya blinks at me, as if surprised I can speak.

“Apologies.” I clear my throat. “I haven’t introduced myself.”

“Oh, I know who you are.” The ice in Ramaya’s tone chills me to the bone. “Your mother is the reason we lost Lagos. Your father is the reason I have this scar.” She rises from her seat and the others move out of her way. “What I don’t know is why you think you have a right to even breathe in my presence.”

My cheeks heat as all eyes land on me. There’s not one warm face in the crowd. Only Mâzeli gifts me a sympathetic frown.

“I helped bring magic back.” I square my chest. “I have magic myself.”

“The abomination you call magic doesn’t earn you a place at this table. It certainly doesn’t earn you the right to have an opinion.” Ramaya looks me up and down before turning back to Zélie. “I look forward to working with you on the council. We’ll hold a Reaper challenge and make your ascension official tomorrow.”

“What about the king’s decree?” Nâo asks.

“I agree with Zélie. Give the order to our soldiers at the front. I want those rations burned by sunrise.”

“Ramaya, wait.” I try to grab her arms, but she stops me with a look.

“Speak at my table again and I’ll rip out your tongue with my bare hands.”

I inhale a shaking breath as she walks away, causing the other elders to follow her path. My lips quiver with everything I want to scream. I can’t believe how easily they reject Inan’s attempt at peace.

“What are you doing?” I turn to Zélie. “You could’ve convinced them to give peace a chance!”

“That offer wasn’t peace.” Zélie shakes her head. “It was bait. Inan’s using food the same way he used Baba. He’ll kill any maji who tries to claim it.”

I open my mouth to argue, but I know there’s nothing I can say. There’s no convincing her to give my brother another chance after all those two have been through.

“Just stick to the plan,” Zélie says. “We can use theIyikato take your family down. The elders will warm up to you when they know you can be trusted.”

“They’ll never trust me.” I stare at the stool where Ramaya sat. I can still feel the heat of her disdain; her hatred for what I am. “But maybe they can respect me…”

My voice trails as I look at my scarred hand.

“What are you thinking?” Zélie asks.

“I need you to help me with my magic.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

INAN

MY HEART BEATSin my throat as Mother and I make our way down the merchant quarter to welcome theIyikadefectors. Our soldiers have wasted no time on repairs since the rebels’ last attack. In just a few days, all the bodies in the marketplace have been cleared.

We step over the scattered debris swept to the sides of Lagos’s streets to make room for the new ration carts. The stands have only been open since dawn, yet the line of villagers waiting for food still goes all the way to the divîner dwellings.

“Inan, are you sure about this?” Mother grabs the reins of my snow leopanaire, pulling me close. Behind us, soldiers usher the villagers into underground bunkers created by Mother and her tîtáns. “Jokôye put you on the spot. That maggot threw you off guard. You’re doing great work, but it’s alright to change your mind.”

She voices the thoughts that’ve been bouncing around my skull all night. I have no idea if this will work. If this is truly what’s best for Orïsha.

We ride past the remains of the divîner slums, and I don’t know whether the destruction tells me to move forward or turn back. There was something beautiful in the rainbow shanties that surrounded my city. Now they’re only mounds of rubble and ash.

I stop in front of a giant hill that used to house fifty shacks; now only sheets of painted metal twist out of the dirt.

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